Google’s Nexus 5 Now Comes in Burn-Your-Eyes-Out Red

Google’s Nexus 5 smartphone now comes in red. We had one shipped here to the office, and it’s not your usual red, sensual and modest. This is a garish, bright and very angry red. In real life, it’s closer to safety orange than it looks in the photos, and just a nudge or two edgier than the iPhone 5c’s “coral” pink version. I actually really like it. Your friends will probably make jokes about how it’s “the phone to take hunting” or “now you won’t lose it in a snow bank.” But it does have a neat retro-future appeal. The red earpiece and edges look cool against the all-black face, too. One caveat: The white Nexus 5 we tested last year quickly developed some blue stains around the edges from being slipped into and out of jeans pockets, so I’m wary about how well this brightly colored back will stand up to wear. (There are red bumper cases, too.)

This phone has the same specs as the other Nexus 5s. It’s one of our favorite large-screen Android phones you can buy right now. The handset is made by LG, runs Google’s own unsullied skin of Android 4.4 KitKat, and comes in 16GB ($350) and 32GB ($400) versions. It’s available in the Google Play store as an unlocked device.

However: If you live in the SF Bay Area and you order through Google Shopping Express, you can have your new phone delivered to you the same day for no extra cost. I find that astonishing.